What makes a great Best of CAMA entry submission?

Over the past year, you’ve put everything you’ve got into creating the best campaigns, writing, ads, posts and creative for your company and clients. Now it’s your turn to shine at the Best of CAMA Gala Awards.

Here are our top tips to help make your category entry submissions stand out:

  1. Review the entry form. Each category entry form is made up of three sections and criteria for judging: planning & development, executive and results. The weighting varies depending on each category, so be sure to read the category entry form before entering your submission and make your entry form count!
  2. New judging rubrics for 2022. New this year, CAMA has updated and improved the judging rubrics. All categories have been grouped into three areas: strategic, creative and digital. Each of the three new sections of the entry form are weighted differently for each category, so be sure to review the new judging criteria rubric before completing your entry form.
  3. Make the entry form count. Best of CAMA brings out everyone’s BEST, including the amazing creative we all see at the Awards Gala, but remember judging is also based on your entry form and the three criteria categories: planning & development, executive and results. Amazing creative is only one piece of the entry, and if important information is missing from the entry form, you risk a lower score.
  4. Submit your best. We get it, filling out CAMA entry forms may not be your top priority, and sometimes it makes sense to assign the task to a junior or someone with a little more time to write the entries. But remember, your entry form is a reflection of yourself and your company, so make sure it meets your highest quality standards by proofing for completion and accuracy before submitting.
  5. Have fun. Best of CAMA is meant to be a celebration of our industry’s achievements. The categories are meant to get you thinking about all the work you’ve completed in the past year and to submit the work you’re most proud of for healthy competition. We can’t wait to see all your submissions and celebrate your successes with you at the Awards Gala.

Don’t miss the Best of CAMA award entry deadline: Thursday, September 22, 2022, at 5 PM EDT

A note to Best of CAMA judges. First, thank you to everyone who has volunteered to judge the 2022 Best of CAMA awards. Your time is valuable and we appreciate your commitment to our industry. Please remember, you may be required to judge work submitted by a competitor, we’re a relatively small industry after all. So, let’s keep it professional and remember to leave your biases at the door.

Good luck to all CAMA members as you complete your Best of CAMA 2022 entry forms. And we can’t wait to see you in person at the Best of CAMA Awards Gala November 3, 2022 in Niagara Falls, ON.

Submitted by Jeanine Moyer, Barn Door Communications

CAMA Mentorship Program – Why I Joined The Program

Not so long ago, my understanding of agriculture only extended as far as Ashton Kutcher and The Ranch.

I’ve worked as a marketing professional for years, but I recently moved to a company whose clients are primarily ag-based, and realised that I knew nothing about the market. Growers and ranchers inhabit such a niche space that I couldn’t even guess at their motivations. I joined the company in a performance role, and I was worried that I didn’t understand enough to offer valuable insights.

I signed up for the CAMA Mentorship program after a company-wide recommendation from our CEO. The intake survey was thorough, but not too long, and it obviously did the trick – I was paired with Tom, a mentor who helped me set an excellent foundation of understanding in ag marketing.  

My objective was to learn more about the market, and I wondered if it was too broad for the program, but the guidelines were a big help. Tom and I set out on our journey strategically, identifying specific goals and formulating strategies to attain them.

I enjoyed my regular catchups with Tom, who had a wealth of knowledge to share. I feel lucky – he is a former professor, and delivered information in a way that was relevant and engaging. Tom also reached out to his network to help me in any areas where he thought an additional level of expertise could help.

While ag is still a new space for me, I feel more confident in my knowledge of the market thanks to my mentorship with Tom. I understand what questions to ask, and where I can find the answers.

By: Emma, CAMA Mentorship Program Mentee